Drying apparatus



Nov. 16 1926. 1,607,418

w. A. WHEELER DRYING APPARATUS Filed April 19, 1926 '2 Sheets-Sheet 1 @2E/. @M foffwfy attenua, l

Nav. 16 192;;L

W. A. WHEELER DRYING APPARATUS Filed Api-i1 19, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 g. El-

Witness:

@zw/,00. 60ML/t.

attorney r Patented Nov. 16, 1926.

UNITED STATESA PATENT OFFICE.

DRYING mABATUS.

Application med April 19, 1928. Serial No. 102,976.

My invention relates to dryers for use in connection with Washin machines, and one object is to provide a rying cylinder and a rack of novel construction which can be readily substituted for the usual cylinder in which the washing process is performed.

A further object is to provide means for preventing overheating of the Washing machine While the drying process 1s being carried out, so as to avoid scorching the garments or other articles being dried.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, reference Will now be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fi 1 is a broken vertical section of a Washlng machine equipped With my drying apparatus. t

Fig. 2 is a plan View of a cylinder formin part of the drying apparatus.

Fig. 3- is a plan vieW of the cylinder with the lid removed to show an interior rack.

Fig. 4 is a cross section of the cylinder on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a plan View of the rack.

Fig. 6 is a cross section of the rack on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Figs. 7 and 8 are fragmentary details of certain portions of the cylinder.

Referring in detail to the various parts, 2 designates the casing of the Washing machine Which has a bottom 4 and a removable main cover 6. The main cover 6 has a central opening for the escape of steam during the drying process, but during the Washing o eration said opening is closed by a supp emental cover 8 provided With a handle 10. The exterior of the casing bottom 4 is covered With asbestos or other nonheat conducting material 12 and a metallic shield 14, beneath which latter a gas or other suitable burner 16 is arranged Within a housing 18 secured to said shield 14. Metallic straps 13 are secured to the casing legs 15 and the shield 14 to support the latter. The asbestos 12 and the shield 14 have registering openings immediately above the housing 18, so that heat from the burner 16 may impinge directly against the bottom 4 and heat the Water in the casing 2 during the Washing operation, but during the drying process said openings are closed by a slide-plate 20 having its upper surface covered with asbestos 22 to prevent the bottom 4 and the interior of the casing 2 from reaching a temperature likely to Scorch the clothes of other articles being dried.

24 designates a cylinder forming a portion of the drying apparatus. Said cylinder 24 may be of any suitable open construction for the free passage of the heated air and in the present instancel consists of skeleton heads 26 covered with woven wire 28 and connected by Woven Wire 30. The heads 26 are also connected by a rectangularframe 32 having an opening 34 through which articles to be dried may be placed within the cylinder 24 and removed therefrom.

36 designates a lid for closing the opening 34. Said lid 36 consists of a skeleton frame 38 covered With woven wire 40 and adapted to fit Within the frame 32. The frame 38 is reinforcedby ribs A42 provided at one end With spring latches 44 adapted to interengage keepers 46 fixed to the ad- ]acent portion of the frame 32. The side of the lid 36 opposite from that upon which the latches 44'are mounted has lugs 48 for engaging under the adjacent member of the frame 32 and coacting with the latches 44 and keepers 46 in reliably holding said lid 36 in position upon the frame 32) The skeleton heads 28 of the cylinder 24 have stub shafts 50 and 52, adapted to be journaled in the usual cylinder bearings (not shown), carried by the casing 2, the stub shaft 52 affording means for connection With the customary gearing employed for driving the cylinder of the washing machine.

54 designates a rack for carrying the clothes and other articles to be dried. Said rack 54 is installed Within the cylinder 24 before both heads 26 are secured in place. The rack 54 comprises a pair of skeleton heads 56, woven Wire 58 covering said heads, and parallel bars 60 connecting said heads and Which are spaced equal distances apart. The heads 56 are further connected by parallel rods or Wire strands 62 spaced equal distances apart. The bars 60 are connected to the heads at the peripheries thereof and the strands 62 are connected to said heads intermediate their axes and said bars 60. The heads 56 are mounted upon suitable axes 64 having threaded ends 66 adapted to be screwed into the central portion of the cylinder heads 26.

In practice the Water used in Washing the articles is drained from the casing 2 and my cylinder 24, containing the rack 54, is substituted for the re ular vWashing machine cylinder. The .was ed articles are run through a wringer and ,thenhung over .the

u permost bars 60 of the rack54, after which two other bars 60 to the cyInderppening 34 for the reception *of other articles. eration is repeated until all of the -bars 60 upon lthe cylinder 24, care being taken, to

.have-the forked elements 68 secured to the underside of said lid 36 to straddle two of Y the bars 60, so that when the cylinder 24 is -scribedfa casing having a bottom portion, Y

rotated the rack 54 will rotate therewith.

'The .plate 20 which was removed during the washing operation to allow the heat 'from the burner 16 to mpinge directly against the bottom 4 is now replaced with its cover 22 to protect said bottom 4 from intense heat, and the supplemental cover 8 -is removed to permit the escape of steam from the articles being dried in the cylinder 24. The cylinder 24 is slowly rotated, together .with the rack 54 so that the heated air may come into direct contact with al1 portionsof dthe garments or other articles being dried,

said articles'being prevented from piling .upon each other by the bars 60 and the rods 62. f i

From the foregoing description it is apparent that I have provided a machine embodying the advantages above l'pointed out, Iand while I have shown ,and described the means for heating said bottm portion, a shield arrangedbeneath said bottomportion and having an opening, and removable means for closing said opening. v

2.' In an apparatus of the character d l scribed, a casing having a bottom portion, have been draped w1th articles to be dried, after `which the lid 36- is placedinposition means for heating said bottom portiomnonheat conducting material secure ing in said material, and a slldable-plate for closing saidopenings. Y.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, a casing, a rotary cylinder of open construction mounted within said casing, a rectangular skeleton frame secured to the cylinder and having an opening 'through which access can be hadto the mterior of said cylinder, a lid adapted to fit upon said skeleton frame and having lugs at one side for engagin the underside of the adjacent to said bottom portion and having an o ning, a metal-k lic shield arrangedbeneath t e' material 'and having an opening registerin with the openportion of t e skeleton frame, and fastening devices for securing the opposite side of said lid to the skeleton frame.

4. In an apparatus of the character de,- scribed, a cas1ng,'a rotary cylinder mounted within said casing and having an opening, a lid to said opening, a rotary nach;A mounted within said'cylinder, and means on the lid for engaging and causing Ssaid rack to rotate with the cylinder.- i

5. In an apparatus of the character described, a rotary rack consisting of two skeleton heads, open mesh covering for said heads, bars connected to said heads near the peripheries thereof, and wire strands conv-i.

n'ected to'the heads intermediate the axes thereof and said bars. In testimony whereof I alix m si nature. WILLIAM A. WHYEE ER. 

